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Home theater fads come and go, leaving many of us riddled with unwanted drawers and cupboards filled to the brim with outdated equipment. Even though the days of plasma televisions are long behind us, one image feature has completely disappeared: 3D. In the 2010s, there were a ton of 3D-capable TVs on the market, and most of those TVs even included one or more pairs of 3D glasses.
But as we entered the latter half of the decade, manufacturers began to focus less on three-dimensional immersion and more on pushing the limits of overall image quality. It paved the way for some of the best smart TVs on the market, but it also spelled the end of an era for those who loved the frills of 3D cinema. All hope is not lost, because you can still enjoy 3D media today: all you need to do is invest in a 3D projector, a 3D Blu-ray player, and a set of compatible 3D glasses.
Projectors are common, but not all have lenses capable of projecting a 3D image. You will need to pay close attention to the specifications and features. Be on the lookout for “3D-ready” labels and be prepared to dig deeper than advertised surface-level features. The same goes for Blu-ray players, especially since “4K UHD” doesn’t automatically translate to “3D-ready.” It may also mean that you end up ordering a used or refurbished drive from a third-party site like eBay.
Don’t forget 3D props, audio and room setup
In fact, it’s not that difficult to find brand new 3D glasses on sites like Amazon; just make sure the pairs you buy will work with your chosen projector. Active and passive glasses are the two technologies you will have to choose between and, generally speaking, it is the former that is supported by most 3D projectors. Active 3D glasses are battery operated, which also makes them the most expensive option.
There is also the issue of the projection screen to sort out. You can project an image onto a flat, white wall, but you might end up sacrificing image detail, including sharpness. Even if you only have money to buy a cheap screen to put away after a movie night, it will be better than the living room wall. We should also let you know that 3D glasses often reduce the brightness of whatever you’re looking at, so you may want to look at displays that have built-in ambient light rejection (ALR).
Rooms with sunny windows will also try to fade your 3D movies, but a good pair of blackout curtains can help preserve the brightness, color and contrast of your content. Projectors aren’t really revered for sound output either. Some models include one or two built-in speakers, but depending on the size of your theater space, a soundbar or external speaker may be warranted.